GENEVA (AP) -- The U.N. Human Rights Commission voted narrowly to
censure Cuba's record Tuesday, deciding 21-18 in favor of a critical motion
submitted by Poland and the Czech Republic.

The motion expressed "concern about the continued repression of members
of
the political opposition and about the detention of dissidents." Fourteen
countries
abstained.

It noted "the continued violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms
...
such as freedom of expression, association and assembly and the rights
associated with the administration of justice, despite the expectations
raised by
some positive steps taken by the government of Cuba in the past few years."

"It is generally recognized that the human rights record of the Cuban authorities
has not improved during the last year," Czech Ambassador Miroslav Somol
said
as he presented the resolution to the 53-nation commission. He said the
text was
"fair and balanced."

Cuba insisted that the U.S. administration was the "true author" of the
resolution.

"The U.S. government has not given up on its interest to manipulate the
commission," Cuban Ambassador Carlos Amat told delegates. Washington "once
again wielded the strings of their occasional puppets," he added.

Amat also referred to the "abduction" of 6-year-old Cuban boy Elian Gonzalez,
who is being held by his great-uncle's family in Miami against the will
of the
boy's father.

He criticized the United States for criticizing other countries' records
while it "is
showing itself incapable of having the law prevail on its own territory."

"Whatever the result of the vote, Cuba will always consider it a moral
victory,"
Amat said.

European Union countries voted against Cuba, but Portuguese Ambassador
Alvaro de Mendonca e Moura, speaking on behalf of the EU, said the resolution
"should have contained a reference to the negative effects of the economic
embargo."

The communist island last year was rebuked by a single-vote margin. In
1998, a
U.S.-backed move to rebuke Cuba was defeated for the first time since 1991.

In Havana, streets were closed for blocks around the Czech Embassy as the
government and Communist Party bused in masses of people for a protest
march
against the resolution.

The government said between 100,000 and 120,000 students, workers and
others had been called to take part.